Things to Know Before Flying Southwest

Southwest Airways is a well-liked airline that flies to greater than 100 locations throughout the US. Vacationers rave concerning the model’s low fares, beneficiant free baggage coverage and minimal charges. Southwest has an airline loyalty program often called Speedy Rewards, and if you happen to’re new to flying with Southwest or have but to hitch their loyalty program, it is best to know that it might be barely completely different from different flying experiences that you simply’ve had with different U.S.-based airways. That’s as a result of Southwest operates in a different way. We’ve outlined the important issues to know earlier than flying Southwest under.

Southwest doesn’t enable flyers to order seats upfront, and there aren’t any assigned seats. As a substitute, Southwest has a singular boarding system. Every traveler is assigned a boarding group and a place upon check-in. Boarding teams are A, B or C. Positions are numbered and vary from 1-60+.

Your boarding group and boarding place will dictate what order you get on the aircraft. For instance, A39 will board a lot before C12. You’ll be able to verify in to your flight starting 24 hours earlier than departure. The earlier you verify in, the nearer you’ll be to the entrance of the road. When the gate agent calls your boarding group, you will get in line in numerical order. Then, you’ll be capable of get on the aircraft and select the place you wish to sit.

If you wish to board the aircraft early with out speeding to check-in, you’ve gotten 4 choices:

Does it matter while you verify in on Southwest? Sure. As talked about above, the earlier you verify in to your flight, the higher your probability of getting a boarding place nearer to the entrance of the road, thus providing you with larger flexibility to decide on the place you want to sit down after boarding the plane. You’ll be able to verify in beginning 24 hours previous to departure.

If you recognize that you simply received’t make your flight as deliberate, you’ll be able to with out penalty. When you booked with a Enterprise Choose or Anytime fare, you’ll be able to select to obtain a method-of-payment refund, or you’ll be able to get hold of journey credit score. For vacationers who booked Wanna Get Away fare, you’ll be able to cancel and get journey credit score.

To cancel with out penalty, you’ll have to name and cancel your reservation at the least 10 minutes earlier than your scheduled departure time. When you don’t do that, and you bought Wanna Get Away fare, your tickets received’t be refunded. When you don’t cancel at the least 10 minutes earlier than departure and you bought Enterprise Choose or Anytime fare, you’ll obtain journey credit score.

Southwest Airways is among the most beneficiant airways in the case of baggage allowance. All vacationers, no matter ticket sort or standing, can verify two baggage at no additional price. Luggage should meet the scale and weight necessities to be free. Every bag should not be greater than 62 inches (top, width and depth mixed) or 50 kilos. In any other case, extra charges will likely be charged.

When flying with Southwest Airways, snacks and nonalcoholic drinks could also be obtainable at no additional price. Nonetheless, not like different airways, Southwest Airways doesn’t serve full meals or promote extra snacks. Southwest usually gives alcoholic drinks for buy, however attributable to COVID-19 security protocols the airline has suspended this service. Southwest at the moment gives a restricted number of snacks and nonalcoholic drinks, when obtainable, on flights larger than 250 miles.

You probably have a protracted journey arising, chances are you’ll wish to pack some snacks so that you’re not hungry.

When flying with Southwest Airways, you received’t have to pay for leisure. All leisure is free and doesn’t require Wi-Fi entry. To entry this free leisure, you’ll have to carry a private machine, like a cellphone, pill or pocket book. With that in thoughts, Wi-Fi entry isn’t free and prices $8 per day per machine for an all-day move.

Some frequent flyer packages are spending-based, whereas others are distance-based. Within the , you’ll earn based mostly on the greenback quantity you spend, not miles flown.

The fare sort bought will dictate what number of factors per greenback you earn as a Speedy Rewards member.

As a fundamental member you’ll earn:

Along with the kind of fare bought, you’ll earn extra factors if you happen to’ve achieved by the Speedy Rewards loyalty program. Primary members will earn on the charges famous above, however A-Checklist and A-Checklist Most well-liked members earn extra. A-Checklist standing flyers will earn 25% extra factors, whereas A-Checklist Most well-liked standing flyers will earn 100% extra factors.

Moreover, elite standing members get extra perks.

A-Checklist members get the next:

A-Checklist Most well-liked members get the next:

Not like another airline loyalty packages, Southwest Airways’ . You received’t have to fret about having account exercise to maintain your factors. Nonetheless, the factors in your account will likely be terminated if you happen to select to shut the account.

For many who earn a Companion Go, touring is extra reasonably priced. That’s as a result of you’ll be able to select one companion to hitch you for practically free journey. You’ll have to pay solely taxes and charges on your companion’s ticket. Right here’s the way it works:

When you fly on 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 125,000 qualifying factors in a calendar yr, you’ll earn the Companion Go. As soon as earned, a Companion Go helps you to decide somebody to fly with you each time you buy a flight or redeem factors for a flight. All you’ll do is pay on your companion’s taxes and charges. Companion Go standing stays legitimate for the rest of the calendar yr through which the move is earned and for everything of the following calendar yr. You too can change your designated companion as much as thrice per calendar yr. When you frequently fly with others, this might end in vital cash financial savings.

When redeeming your Speedy Rewards factors for journey, there aren’t any blackout dates. E-book your journey for no matter dates work greatest for you.

These are the issues to know earlier than flying Southwest. Since this airline is so pleasant, versatile and accommodating, it’s no surprise why so many vacationers choose to fly with Southwest Airways.

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